Weaving is an artistic process that has strong traditional roots for many people around the world and is not only a method of making clothing, blankets and other household goods, but also conveys stories of culture and values. Weaving is also a super engaging activity for young kids. To introduce kids to weaving all you need is a few household materials and objects from nature.
This activity is featured in our Tinkergarten Home Spring Creativity series. Not yet signed up? Click here to sign up or to try a free Tinkergarten Home lesson.
The Guide
Step 1: Set up your “loom.”
The simplest “loom” we’ve made takes just cardboard and some rubber bands or tightly tied string. Simply cut cardboard into a rectangular shape. Cut small slits every inch or so around the edge. Then, work with kids to put 6-10 rubber bands around the cardboard, slotting them into the slits so they don’t easily come off and snap fingers (ouch!). If you don’t have rubber bands, tie pieces of string tightly around the cardboard in place of the bands.
In Tinkergarten classes, we’ve used recycled fishing nets to create giant looms on which kids can make collaborative weaving projects—so much fun! If you can find them in a craft store or online, they are marvelous! Just weave a dowel or stick through the top and bottom to add a frame and hang from a tree or other structure.
If you have access to one in your outdoor spaces, a chainlink fence can also make a marvelous loom!
Step 2: Collect weaving materials.
Wonder together what objects you could find outside to add to your loom. Discuss, then head out to collect materials together. Try to find materials that kids can easily bend, such as flowers and leaves with stems, and small sticks. You can also offer some household materials like ribbon, yarn, fabric scraps and pipe cleaners.
Step 4: Bend and weave!
Model for kids how to bend and weave objects between the bands or strings on the loom. Let kids work at their own pace and weave to their own heart’s content. Try to remember that it’s the process of gathering and adding things that matters, not how marvelous the final product is.
Give kids lots of space and time on this one. Kids may want to collect a whole bunch of objects, then do some weaving. They may want to collect-weave-collect-weave. Or, they may transition to other activities after a short while. If you can, leave the loom out for kids to come back to—this kind of activity often builds over time. Want more activities like this? Try out our Wrap It Up DIY or our Play Like Spiders DIY.
Why is this activity great for kids?
Weaving is a super engaging activity for kids and also supports kids’ fine-motor, focus, persistence and problem solving skills, all while moving the body and engaging so many different senses. Weaving also gives kids practice in the creative acts of bending and blending. Just as kids use their looms to bend various objects into their looms, in our brains, we bend concepts, stretching and reshaping them as we create.
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By creativity, we mean the ability to both imagine original ideas or solutions to problems and actually do what needs to be done to make them happen. So, to help kids develop creativity, we parents need to nurture kids' imaginations and give them lots of chances to design, test, redesign and implement their ideas.
"Creativity is as important now in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.”
Why, you ask? For one, it is through being creative that a person is able to get senses, sensibility and spirit working together. Simply put, without creativity, we don't think our kids will live a full life.
On a more practical level, it's also the means by which humans of all ages make an impact on the world and other people around them. A lot of heavy stuff is going to go down in our kids' lifetime, and their generation will need to imagine and implement solutions to big and very complicated problems. Although our kids are still far from public office or the boardroom, today's political and business leaders worldwide are already pointing to creativity as the most important leadership quality for the future.
Although years from the art studio or design lab, little kids can learn to think and act creatively if you give them time and the right practice.
Focus & Self Control
Category:
Thinking Skills
What is Focus and Self Control?
We think of self control as a child’s ability to focus on something in such a way that maximizes learning. In order to do that, they first need to direct their attention and focus on a single thing. They also need to discern which information around them is most important and deserving of their attention. Thirdly, they need something called “inhibition.” Think of inhibition as the ability to control impulses, block out distractions and continue attending to the same thing. Focus, discerning and inhibition all require rather fancy brain work and are thought to be part of the “executive functions” or the set of cognitive processes involving the prefrontal cortex that help us manage ourselves and the environment to achieve a goal.
Why does it matter?
Our world is full of distractions, more today than ever. Kids who are in any learning situation need the ability to control their impulses, block out noise and attend to the person, objects, events, or discussions that are central to learning. As classroom teachers, we saw that kids who did this ruled the classroom. As outdoor educators and parents, we know the same holds true outside of school.
But don’t take our word for it; the research is impressive. It turns out that these executive function skills are closely tied to success in the classroom, higher level education and life beyond school. Experts like Adele Diamond of the University of British Columbia have shown that, “If you look at what predicts how well children will do later in school, more and more evidence is showing that executive functions—working memory and inhibition—actually predict success better than IQ tests.” Although these skills are difficult for young children and don’t crystallize until adulthood, the more kids practice them, the better at them kids become.
Fine Motor
Category:
Body Skills
What are Fine Motor skills?
Fine motor skills refer to how we coordinate small muscle movements in the hands and fingers in conjunction with our eyes. Children begin with whole arm movements at birth and refine their movement, using smaller muscle groups as their bodies develop. With time and practice, children are able to enhance and strengthen the movements in their fingers, becoming able to manipulate small objects and perform a range of important life and learning tasks.
Why does it matter?
Kids need fine motor skills in order to perform every day tasks like using fork and knife, turning a door knob, cutting with scissors and catching and throwing a ball. These same skills are essential for tasks associated with higher level learning like hand writing and typing on a keyboard. If kids enter school without good fine motor skills, they can not only fall behind, but learning can become very frustrating. Moreover, they can develop lasting negative attitudes towards learning and themselves as learners.
Persistence & Grit
Category:
Social Skills
What are Persistence & Grit?
A persistent person can continue on a given course of action in spite of challenges or barriers that arise. In other words, persistence is the ability to stick with something and keep trying. It's partner, grit, is the strength of character, and sometimes courage, to allow one to persist. Those who possess grit don't mind rolling up their sleeves, focusing on the task at hand, and sticking with it to completion despite the challenges that come their way.
Why does it matter?
Talent is helpful, but it's hard work, persistence and grit that unlock talent and turn capable people into success stories. As Thomas Edison so famously said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." Practice with being persistent, including the chance to struggle and learn how to overcome struggle, will help kids later have ability to wade through and make sense of confusing new information, navigate difficult situations, and solve tough problems.
Further, studies like those discussed in Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's NurtureShock tell us that kids will actually perform better when we praise their hard work instead of just telling them how smart or great they are. As parents, we also tend to offer kids activities which are enjoyable and attainable and, as such, too easy. Bear in mind that if we spare them frustration, we actually deny them the chance to work hard and develop persistence and grit.
Age: 0 to 8+
Time: 1 hour+
Materials: netting or cardboard and rubber bands, yarn or twine, objects from nature
